Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) visualization is a growing field of research. The scanners are collecting better data all the time, and doctors and scientists are constantly discovering new applications for the data. The success of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is rooted in the powerful concept that during their random, diffusion-driven displacements, molecules probe tissue structure at a microscopic scale well beyond the usual image resolution. As diffusion is a three dimensional process, molecular mobility in tissues may be anisotropic, as in brain white matter.
The diffusion anisotropy effects can be extracted, characterized, and exploited, providing details on tissue microstructure. One such advanced application is that of fiber tracking in the brain, which may provide insight into the issue of connectivity. DTI has also been used to demonstrate subtle abnormalities in a variety of diseases (including stroke, multiple sclerosis, dyslexia, and schizophrenia) and is currently becoming part of many routine clinical protocols.
However, there exist a need for a more intuitive input interface to let the user specify the tracts of interest, so as to make them part of the surgical planning and subsequent navigation.